In your mailbox: Different sides of Rep. Brian White as Anderson is pitted vs. Greenville

Two groups - Citizens Opposed to Arrogant Politicians and the South Carolina Conservatives Fund - have been mailing flyers attacking and supporting state Rep. Brian White to voters in his district in Anderson County. The identities of people involved with either group are unknown.
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State Rep. W. Brian White, Chairman, House Ways and Means Committee and Republican from Anderson District 6 speaks about school buses at Master's Wok restaurant in Anderson on Monday. (Photo: Ken Ruinard/Independent Mail)

Voters in state Rep. Brian White's district received a flyer in their mailboxes this week accusing Greenville "power brokers" of plotting to get rid of the Anderson Republican.

"Brian White stands up to Greenville power brokers and tells them 'no' to misusing taxpayer dollars," states the flyer. "They've set out to ruin Brian's reputation and replace him with someone will show those tough guys in Greenville the respect they deserve."

A group called South Carolina Conservatives Fund recently mailed this flyer to voters in state Rep. Brian White's district in Anderson County.(Photo: Kirk Brown/Independent Mail)

A group called South Carolina Conservatives Fund recently mailed this flyer to voters in state Rep. Brian White's district in Anderson County.(Photo: Kirk Brown/Independent Mail)

The flyer is the latest piece of mail that voters in White's district have received recently from two shadowy groups that offer starkly different portrayals of the state House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee chairman.

A group called Citizens Opposed to Arrogant Politicians has mailed flyers comparing White to Benedict Arnold, a skunk and a "self-serving pig."

A group called Citizens Opposed to Arrogant Politicians recently mailed this flyer to voters in state Rep. Brian White's district in Anderson County.(Photo: Kirk Brown/Independent Mail)

Another group called the South Carolina Conservatives Fund has come to White's defense. In addition to this week's flyer, voters have received mail from the group praising White for standing up to special interests.

A group called South Carolina Conservatives Fund recently mailed this flyer to voters in state Rep. Brian White's district in Anderson County.(Photo: Kirk Brown/Independent Mail)

The identities of the people associated with each group are unknown. Neither group has a website, and they have never made any political contributions to candidates seeking state or local offices in South Carolina, according to the State Ethics Commission.

White did not respond this week to multiple messages seeking comment. A 50-year-old married father of three daughters, White is an insurance agent for a Greenville-based agency, according to his website.

First challenger since 2002

With the two week candidate-filing period opening next Friday, no Republicans have announced plans to challenge White, who is widely expected to seek a 10th term in the state House.

White is well-positioned for a re-election campaign. According to a financial disclosure report filed Jan. 15, he has more than $182,000 in campaign cash in hand.

Even if no Republican runs against White, he will face an opponent for the first time since 2002. Pendleton resident Ryan Cowsert, a 25-year-old Clemson University graduate, said he plans to seek the House District 6 seat as an American Party candidate.

Cowsert, who manages the Starbucks on Clemson Boulevard in Anderson, said he has a daughter who is about to turn 1.

"I want to make South Carolina a place that she can be proud of when she gets older," he said.

Cowsert said he believes White is vulnerable.

"He has done a lot of stuff to make people in his district and in Anderson upset," he said, specifically citing White's vote last year in favor of increasing the state's gas tax.

"Sense of competition"

The flyer that the South Carolina Conservatives Fund sent out this week praising White for refusing to be bullied to Greenville power-brokers likely will resonate with voters in his district, Anderson County Administrator Rusty Burns said.

"It will find a receptive audience, I guarantee it," Burns said.

Many residents in the county, Burns said, feel a "sense of competition" with Greenville.

"People in Anderson County always want to be No. 1 at everything they do," he said.

Dan Harvell, a former Anderson County GOP chairman who now serves on the state's Republican executive committee, said a significant number of people in Anderson "think that Anderson gets less than Greenville in the legislature."

Carey Jones, president of the Main Street program of Anderson, said Greenville is a "great place," but he also said that Anderson has some assets that Greenville can't match.

"Greenville would love to have a lake, and we don't have traffic problems," Jones said.

Follow Kirk Brown on Twitter @KirkBrown_AIM and email him at kirk.brown@independentmail.com